According to The Athletic on June 23, US men's national team star Christian Pulisic has resumed full team training, signaling he is one step closer to returning from a left calf injury.
On Monday, during the US team's training session ahead of their final World Cup group stage match against Turkey, the first 15 minutes open to media observation showed Pulisic participating fully in team drills. Although US Soccer has not officially confirmed his status, his training involvement suggests very positive recovery progress.
Pulisic, 27, missed Friday's 2-0 victory over Australia due to the calf injury. He had suffered the injury during the opening match—a 4-1 win over Paraguay—where he provided two assists before being substituted early after experiencing discomfort. The problem was compounded by an earlier impact sustained in training.
After the Paraguay match, Pulisic said the injury was not serious and that his substitution was precautionary. "I hope to be fully recovered in the next few days," he stated.
Over the past week, Pulisic has focused on targeted rehabilitation during training sessions, including strength work, resistance running, and individual drills. To minimize risk, the coaching staff opted to keep him out against Australia.
Coach Pochettino explained: "Christian is not yet available, but his recovery is very good. He participated in the training camp this morning, and the feedback is that he feels good. I hope he can return to the team as soon as possible. He is disappointed because he really wanted to play and help the team."
With the US already qualified for the knockout stage, the result against Turkey—who have been eliminated—has no bearing on advancement. The US is scheduled to travel to Santa Clara, California, on July 1 for the Round of 32, facing the third-place team from another group.
This match offers an ideal opportunity for Pulisic to regain match fitness. Former US coaches Berhalter and Bradley both believe giving him playing time would be prudent if he is fit.
Berhalter said: "If he is fit to play, I would put him in. You don't want him without competitive rhythm for too long. He doesn't necessarily have to play the full match, but he should get some minutes if his body allows it."
Bradley cautioned: "Calf injuries are always tricky, and the medical team must carefully assess his recovery. You definitely don't want to rush it, but there's a significant gap between the Paraguay match and the Round of 32. Without any playing time, it could affect his match fitness."
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